Hood catch



R. G. MOORE May 13, 1930.

HOOD CATCH Filed May 3, 1928 ATTORNEY:

Patented May 13, 1930 cleric;

RAYMOND Gr'. MOORE, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIG'NOR` TO THE '.BASSICK COMPANY, 0F BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT Hoon CATCH Application led. kMay 3,

The present invention relates to automobile hood catches, and has for an object to provide an improved latch of the type adapted lin additiony to holding down thehood, to also force the same inwardly, and thereby effectively secure it against looseness and rattling. A further object isto provide such a catch which will compensate for variations in the position of the hood, so that wear and inaccurate placing of the catch will not affect its proper functioning. Another object is to provide a catch in which there will be metal to metal Contact between the compensat-ing parts, but so arranged and cooperating as to always maintain a non-rattling relation, free of squeaks and scraping noises,

' and to this end it is particularly proposed in the present embodimentto provide a compensating lever like keeper upon the hood adapted through the downward pulling action of the catch to draw the latter inwardly, and further to provide a cooperative camming means between the hood and catch adapted to produce both a downward and inward pressure.

With the above and other objects in view, an embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, and this embodiment will be hereinafter more 4fully described with reference thereto, and the inven-V tion will be iinally pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section,

or a hood catch, according to the present embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the keeper and hood; v

Fig. 3 is a side velevation showing in dotted lines the initial engaging position with the keeper, and in full lines, the final or operative engaging position;

Fig. l is a side elevation ofa modified form of the invention;

Referring to the drawings, the hood catch, according to the present embodiment of the invention, consists of a cylindrical barrel 10, flanged at its lower end, as at 11, to provide a reduced passage in which a rod 12 is slidably engaged, the end of the rod within the barrel being provided with a fixed washer 18,

192,8. Serial No. 274,817.

between which and the flange 11 a spring 14 is coiled about the rod. v

The lower end of the rod 12 has a head or upset 15, engaged in a dome-shaped slotted base member 16 secured to the sill-piece of the automobile frame.

Theupper end of the barrel is threaded otally mounted alever member comprising' .side arms 25-25 and. a transverse connecting portion 26. The side armsl are rounded at their lower rearward edges to permit downward swinging movement and are angular at their upper rearward edges to provide movement limiting abutment portions, a spring 27 coiled about the pin 211 and bearing Y at its respective ends upon the base plate and the connecting portion 26 "adaptedto normally retain thelever member in its raised position, asindicated inFig. 1. Inits raised position the keeper lever is inclined'downwardly, so vthat upon downward swinging there is a relatively rapid approach ofthe outer ends of the levertoward the hoodfsurface,vthe distance between said outer ends and the hood surface decreasing proportionately to the degree of rotation. A transverse pin 28 is provided between the outer ends of the arms 25, adapted vfor engagement by the hook 20 of the hood catch.

An inclined camvportion 29 is formed up from thebase of the-keeper,'and upon the hood catch barrel there is kprovided a projecting cam lug 30, having an inclined engaging face 31 adapted in the engaged relation of the catch to engage and bear upon the cam portionr29.

, The; operation is as follows:

As shown in Fig. l the catch is contracted,

the keeper-lever being raised, and thetransverse pin 28 being at its maximum distance from the hood;1 rlhe catch is pulled upwardly against the'pressure of .the spring Vto a point permitting engagement with the keeper, and is thereupon released, the keeperlever rotating to a position as shown in full lines Fig. 3, the barrel moving downwardly and inwardly, pressing the cam lug 3() into engagement `with the cam portion 29, [so that Vthe one-directional force of the spring is distributed into components exerting-both a downward and an inward force or pressure upon the hood to securely clamp it in closed position. The pivoted keeper-lever, inaddition` to drawingf'the lbarrel'inwardly, automatically compensates for fanywear `and irregularities.

In Fig. 4,' I have. illustrated a modified form' of the invention 'in which anupwardly extending inclined cam lug v32 is provided n4'on the'base foftheikeeper, .andwhich is enlgaged by `a loam portion 33 ont-he barrel have ing a relatively long inclined under surface. The function and operation is thev same as in the first embodiment. e

I have illustrated and described 'preferred and satisfactory `embodiments of theinvention, but it will be obvious that changes Inlay thereof, as defined-in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claimand'desire to secure by Letters'Patent is l l( In a hood catch or the like, a hold down clamp, a Akeeper lever .adapted'to Vbe mounted on the hood and to be engaged by said clamp, spring means acting to draw said clamp downwardly and swing said keeper lever inwardly toward the hood, `and cam means between said clamp and the hood adapted to press the hood downwardly `and inwardly under theaction of said spring means..

2. In a hood catch or the like, a hold down( clamp, a keeper lever adapted to be mounted mitting yielding downward swinging move- `ment whereby said clamp engaging portion moves toward the hood, spring means acting to draw said clamp downwardly and swing said keeper lever inwardly toward the hood, and cam means between said clamp and the hood adapted to press the hood downwardly and inwardly under the action of said spring means. l

.4. In a hood catch or the like, a hold Vdown clamp, a keeper lever adapted to be mounted on the hood and to be engaged by said clamp, spring means acting to draw said clamp vdownwardly and swing said keeper lever inwardly toward the hood, and cam means between said clamp and the hood comprising an inclined cam surface on one of them and a cam projection on the other, adapted to press the hood `downwardly and inwardly under the Aaction of said spring means.

Signed at Bridgeport,`county of Fairiield, and State 'of Connecticut, this 20th day of April, 192e. Y y RAYMOND e. Moons.

`be made therein, within the spirit vand scope i on the hood and to be engaged by said clamp,

spring meansl acting to drawl said clamp downwardly and swing said keeper lever in- Wardlytoward the hood, and cam means ibetween said clamp andthe hood adapted to press the hood downwardly and inwardly position withnsaidclamp engaging' portion `V outwardly spaced from the hoodand .per 

